By Susan Gonsalves, Contributing Writer
WESTBOROUGH – The Westborough School Committee on May 26 met David Gordon, who will begin as the district’s new director of finance and administration in July. The current director, Irene Oliver, is retiring.
Gordon is currently the Director of Finance and Operations at Tenacre Country Day School in Wellesley. Prior to that, he served in that role for Somerville Public Schools and also worked as a budget analyst/strategic business partner for Boston Public Schools.
Other background includes employment as a financial administrator/business manager at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and as a financial analyst at Verizon.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in Communications and is business administration certified by the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials/Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MASBO/DESE).
Superintendent Amber Bock said that Gordon would be a “huge benefit” to the school district and described him as “more than well prepared” for the job duties.
Gordon described himself as husband to a physician’s assistant and father to two young children.
He said that his philosophy is “student-centric” and added that he was attracted to the Westborough school district because he spent time reviewing the strategic plan and found that it “resonated” with him.
Not only is there a “hyper-focus on students,” he said, but he was drawn to the commitment to “diversity, inclusion, equity and equality for students and the growth of the district overall.”
Conversations with Bock “drove it home for me,” Gordon said, adding, “There’s total symmetry there…I felt like the stars aligned, and I got a good feeling in my gut. When you talk about kismet, this was it.”
Bock noted that she and Gordon visited the schools during the day, and Gordon had the opportunity to meet his future team members. He also participated in a meeting with school leaders.
The superintendent noted that it was a “productive, tiring day” and joked that they should let Gordon go home to rest.
“I’m very excited to bring what I consider finding my niche and what I love to do and bringing that to Westborough,” Gordon said.
The School Committee also said goodbye to student representative Kyla Kamugu. They noted the student who succeeds her in that role has a lot to live up to.
Members praised Kamugu for being so active on the committee and sharing her perspective as a high school student.
Kamugu said it was an honor to “bridge the gap” between the committee and students and attend meetings “despite how long they are.”
Board members presented her with gifts and cards, including a Westborough blanket.
